Adjustable propeller-blade



Patented June 28, 1921.

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,y "will/ll Eurem? -f/les'an Q Orne UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN JUELSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS7 ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN AERO COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ADJUSTABLE PROPELLER-BLADE.

Application filed November 11, 1918.

T 0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN JUnLsoN, a citizen of the United States7 residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful improvements in .rtdjiaitable Propeller-Blades, of which the following is a. specification.

The invention relates to propellers, and has for its principal object the provision oi adjustable blades so that the circle of rotation may be varied within certain limits and thereby the air currents set up in axial direction with respect to the circle of operation may be concentrated or spread.

It is a further object ot the invention to provide blades pivetally secured to the hub. so that each blade may be swung about its pivot to vary the distance of its outer eX- tremity from the axis of rotation of the propeller.

It is also an object of the invention to provide means for simultaneously adjusting all of the blades.

Still another object embraces the provi.-

f sion of means for locking the blades in adj usted or readjusted position.

To the accomplishment of the objects stated and others that will become apparent as the description proceeds, the preferrct embodiment of the invention comprises certain means described in the following specification, particularly set forth in the claims forming a part thereof, and illustrated in the annexed drawing.

In said drawing- Figure l is a top plan view of a propeller` constrructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the improved propeller;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section ot the propeller;

Fig. l is a perspective view of a disk;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the hub portion of the propeller, and

F ig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the end portion of a blade.

Referring to the drawing. l. designates a shaft to which a hub, generally designated by 2, is secured. The hub, of truste-conical form, is open at its wide end and closed at its narrow end b an integral bottom portion 3 provided with an aperture for the passage of the shaft l. The wide end of the hiib has apertured lugs 4l, arranged at dia- Speci'cation of Letters Patent.

Patented June 28, 1921.

Serial No. 261,966.

metrically opposite points of the hub and extending at right angles to the longitudi-V nal aXis of the hub. The wide end is fuitliermore equipped with sectional flanges 5, having spaced portions, as at 6, adjacent to the lugs. The wall of the hub is equipped with an opening 7, which affords access to the interior. f

The blades 8 are of a shape and construe tion to insure positive actuation of the air sheared loose from the atmosphere during rotation, and., as indicated, are spoonshaped, whereby maximum effect is insured. The form of the propeller blades. however, does notl form an object of thisA invention, and is immaterial as far as the scope of the present invention is concerned. Each blade 8 at its inner end portion is provided with a circular aperture 9 and a short distance therefrom with an elongated slot l0. for purposes presently to be described. The aperture 9 of the blade is placed in registry with an aperture ll of the lug t of the hub, and a rivet l2 in said registering apertures c0nstitutes a pivotal connection between the hub and the blade. It is evident that the rotation of the blade about the pivot 'l2 will change the distance of the outer blade extremity from the axis of the shaft l so as to increase or decrease such distance and thereby to vary within practical limits the size of the circle of rotation described by the blades.

Coacting with the blades is a disk 13 (shown in Fig. 1l) of circular form and provided with a depending sleeve ll formed integral with the disk or, if' preferred, formed separate and secured to the disk 13. As indicated in Fig, 2, the sleeve 14 is of a length to bear with its inner, or lower, portion against the bottom portion 3 of. the hub. The hub 3 is provided with an aperture for the passage of a set-screw l5, which enters a. longitudinal groove 16 in the shaft to cure the hub and its associated parts against rotation on the shaft.

The disk '13 is provided with a plurality of pins 17, arranged at diametrically opposite points in the disk and at a distance, from the center to enterg in the assembled relation of the parts, the slots l0 of the blade ends. The disk 13, in the assembled relation of the propeller, is arranged on the sectional flanges 5 of the hub defining with lugs 4l of the hub spaces forthe passage of the inner ends of the blades. Upon rotation of the disk V13 the pins 17 cause a corresponding oscillation ot' the blades 8, so that both blades of the propeller are simultaneously adjusted to desired position.

To facilitate rotation of the blade a tongue 1S is struck out from the disk which serves asa gripping means whereby the disk may be adjusted. rilhe latter is also equipped at a portion of its periphery with a plurality of recesses 19, which, are adapted to receive a lug 20, arranged on the hub 2. The disk 13 has a central aperture 21 for the passage or the shaft i, which, at the outer portiomis threaded for the reception ofV a nut 22.

The adjustment of the blades can be effected in the following manner:

Assuming` the lug,` 20 to be received in the central recess 19 of the disk i3, the nut 22 isloosened. yand the disk 13 is slightly lifted in order to release the latter from the hub by clearingl the lug, and thereupon the disk is rotated ineither clockwise er counter-clockwise direction until another ot said recesses is placed in registry with the lug 20. Thereupon the nut 22 is tightened to securethe parts in assembled relation. The rotation of the disk 18 by the agency oit the pin 17 causes a slight oscillation ot the blades S, whereby adjustment of the latter is effected Yto vary the circle of rotation of the same, either cfmcentrating,l or spreedingy the air currents set up by the operation ot' the propeller.

Vihile the drawing discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is, of course, understood that the invention is not liniited to the exact details as shown but includes such modifications as 'fall within the scope of the claims.

claim:

l. A propeller, comprising` a disk. a hub,

blades pivotally secured thereto, means ai'- rang'ed on said disk for engagingv the inner ends of said blades, and means for rotating said disk.

2. A propeller, comprising a hub constiblades. Y

3. A propeller, comprising` a hub constituting a. hollow truncated cone open at the Wide end, blades pivotally secured to the wide end orn the hub, a rotatable disk forminga cover for said hub, means on ,said disk for engaging the-inner'ends of' said blades, and means for securing the disk in position.

4. A propeller, comprising` a hub constituting a hollow truncated cone open at the wide end, blades pivotally secured to the wine end of the hub, a rotatable disk forming a cover for said hub, means on said disk for engaging the inner ends of said blades, said disk being iormed with. a plurality ot recesses adapted to be placed in registry with a lug on said hub, and a tongue struck out from said disk to facilitate rotation thereof.

5. A propeller, comprising;` a hub constituting a hollow trun ated cone open at the wide end and having apertured lugs extendingat right angles to the longitudinal airis and outwardly therefrom, blades pivotally secured to said lugs and extending' with their inner ends fast the wall ot said hub, a disk forming a cover for Vsaid hub and having` pins entering slots provided in the ends et said blades. means for securing the.

disk in positiomand means for rotating` said disk.

6. in a propeller aV hub, two or more wings pivoted to said hub on axes substantially parallel to the axis of the latter, and means singularly adjustable about the axis of said hub and engaging said wings to secure'then in adjusted position. f

ln testimony whereof l alibi-my signature in the presence et two witnesses.

EDlViN lUlLSON Vllitnesses: l

DANIEL A. BRENNAN, IRMA BECK. 

